Wednesday, 2 April 2025
Home Topics Transport Automotive Alphabet’s Waymo robotaxi unit doubles its paid rides in three months
AutomotiveBusinessElectric Vehicles (EVs)NewsPublic TransitTransport

Alphabet’s Waymo robotaxi unit doubles its paid rides in three months

116
A Waymo self-driving vehicle moves through an intersection in Chandler Arizona, U.S., December 2, 2017.  REUTERS/Natalie Behring/File Photo
A Waymo self-driving vehicle moves through an intersection in Chandler Arizona, U.S., December 2, 2017. REUTERS/Natalie Behring/File Photo

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Alphabet’s Waymo said on Tuesday it had doubled its paid rides to 100,000 per week in just over three months as the autonomous ride-hailing firm expanded its areas of service and allowed more people to ride its robotaxis.

Waymo’s expansion comes just a month after Alphabet said it was planning a multi-year $5 billion investment in the company even as autonomous vehicle technology continues to face widespread skepticism, tight regulatory scrutiny and federal investigations.

Waymo, which has about 700 vehicles in its fleet, is the only U.S. firm operating uncrewed robotaxis that collect fares. The company opened its service to everyone in San Francisco in June without joining a waitlist while expanding its operations in metro Phoenix. This month, Waymo extended services to the San Francisco Peninsula and to certain parts of Los Angeles.

“People still think of autonomous vehicles as the faraway future, but for more and more people they’re now an everyday reality,” Chief Product Officer Saswat Panigrahi said in a statement, adding that Waymo’s expanded “deliberately” and by “optimizing costs”.

That is critical as competition for Waymo is expected to intensify. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is expected to unveil the electric vehicle market leader’s delayed plans for its robotaxi product in October.

Others in the race include General Motors’ Cruise, which is finding its way back to U.S. roads with safety drivers after a major accident last year; Amazon’s Zoox, which is expanding testing for its vehicles built without steering wheels and pedals; and China-based WeRide, which is seeking a $5 billion valuation from its New York IPO and got approval from California to conduct tests with passengers.

(Reporting by Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Kim Coghill)

Related Articles

Lilium burnt through huge sums while trying to develop its jet (AFP)

German flying taxi start-up’s rescue deal collapses

A German flying taxi start-up said on Friday it would halt operations...

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum speaks as he attends a signing ceremony with members of the West Virginia Congressional Delegation at the EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo

US energy council chief says power plants to produce 15% more electricity

By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Interior Secretary and co-chair of...

Cuba has inaugurated a new solar energy park in the capital Havana (AFP)

Cuba opens solar park hoping to stave off blackouts

Cuba on Friday unveiled a new solar energy park in the capital...

FILE PHOTO: Cranes unload imported iron ore from a cargo vessel at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China October 27, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

Iron ore heads for weekly gain on brightening demand outlook, China stimulus hopes

By Amy Lv and Lewis Jackson BEIJING (Reuters) -Iron ore futures prices...

Login into your Account

Please login to like, dislike or bookmark this article.